This invention relates generally to heating systems and, more particularly, to collector apparatus for solar powered heating systems.
Most modern heating systems rely on petroleum products as a primary source of energy. However, because of the ever-increasing interest in reducing the levels of air pollution and retarding the depletion of diminishing petroleum resources, alternate forms of heating energy are being sought more enthusiastically. Such alternate energy sources include, for example, solar energy, nuclear energy, wind energy, tidal energy, etc. Because of the complexity and inefficiency of the energy conversion system that they require, most of alternate energy sources such as the wind and the tides are generally considered impractical with the present state of technology. Nuclear energy, although viable in many respects, presents the extreme hazards that are inherent to the operation of nuclear reactors. At the present time, therefore, the major thrust toward the development of alternate energy sources is concentrated in the area of solar energy. Known solar heating systems, however, are generally inefficient and costly primarily because of requirements for either relatively large planar heat collection surfaces or rather complex moving collectors that track the sun. In addition, the large and bulky collectors conventionally used are generally unattractive and subject to damage by environmental factors such as wind and snow.
The object of this invention, therefore, is to provide an improved radiant energy collector apparatus for use in solar heating systems.